The Great Wall Tunnel

The Great Wall Tunnel

The Great Wall Tunnel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ming Great Wall Tunnel: Before the Ming Dynasty, Yipianshi was a key transportation route between Beijing and Qin. In the 13th year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty, the renowned general Xu Da was ordered to construct the section of the Great Wall at Jiukoumen. Upon completion, General Xu Da and the designers, taking into account Jiukoumen’s strategic and perilous location, planned and excavated a hidden passage starting from the military drill ground inside the Great Wall, bypassing the Jiumen city gate, and secretly leading through the mountains to the outside of the pass. This tunnel, located beneath the mountain within the Great Wall, stretches 1,027 meters in total length.

The tunnel has two exits and one entrance. One exit faces directly toward the General's Platform, another leads to the Yipianshi Battlefield, and one exits directly outside the pass. Inside the tunnel, there are 29 caves of varying sizes, including the Bell Chamber, Latrine (outhouse), Detention Room, Central Command Room, Water Dungeon, Grain Storage, Kitchen, Well House, Mill Room, Armory, Training Room, Cannon Room, Torture Exhibit Room, Garrison Room, Buddhist Shrine, and Worship Rooms for Guan Yu and the Mountain God. The tunnel could house troops and allow for surprise attacks from within the inner wall, striking the enemy’s rear as if falling from the heavens. The tunnel could accommodate approximately 2,000 soldiers. It features a drainage system and ventilation shafts to ensure the comfort and mobility of soldiers stationed inside. The well inside provides crystal-clear, sweet, and refreshing water, sufficient for over 2,000 people.

In the 104th year (likely referring to the 104th year of the Ming calendar or a misrendered date; contextually likely the late Ming/early Qing period), after Li Zicheng’s peasant rebellion army captured Beijing, they split their forces to launch a long-distance surprise attack and encircle Shanhaiguan. First, they attacked and took Jiumen City Gate from the inside. The Qing forces led by Wu Sangui and Dorgon had been unable to breach the pass from the outside. After capturing a former Ming dynasty defender, they learned the location of the hidden tunnel and dispatched elite troops to storm into the city from the outside via the tunnel, creating a pincer attack that ultimately defeated the overextended peasant army. This became the historically famous “Battle of Yipianshi,” which ended with the victory of the Qing forces. The ancient hidden tunnel of the Great Wall has now been developed into a tourist attraction. After visiting the Great Wall, exploring the “city within a city” that is the Great Wall Tunnel offers a uniquely fascinating experience.